Holder for a scouring pad



Nov. 11, 1958 D. GOLDEN HOLDER FOR A scouamc PAD Filed Nov. 27, 1953 INVENTOR.

DAVlD GOLDEN FIG. 5

ATTORNEY United States Patent "9 HOLDER FOR A SCOURING PAD David Golden, Long Beach, N. Y. I Application November 27, 1953, Serial No. 394,714

3 Claims. (Cl. 15-409) The present invention relates to a holder for securing pads, particularly for securing pads made of metal wire such as steel wool or copper or of plastic fibers.

It is a well known experience that particles of the pad material tend to break offpart-icularly when the pad has been repeatedly usedand to penetrate into the Skin of the user causing annoying and even dangerous injuries. There are already known holders for such pads comprising a rubber plate with a pin and a catch thereon. However, holders of this kind are rather inconvenient in use. Experience shows that it is difiicultto force the pin into the pad as deeply as is essential for a good hold, and then to fit the pin into its catch. Furthermore, the aforesaid conventional holders require extensive handling of the pad for attaching the same to the holder thereby inviting injuries to the hand of the user.

Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a novel .and improved holder of the general type above referred to, which fully protects the hand of the user when and while the pad is used and which eliminates the necessity of handling the pad when used for cleaning.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved pad holder which fully protects the hand of the user both, when the holder is attached to the pad and removed therefrom for disposal.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved holder which holds the pad with a strong and reliable grip and with a minimum of wobbling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder which is attachable to the pad and removable therefrom without handling the pad.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims forming part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing a now preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is an elevational edge view of a holder according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification of the holder.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the figures in detail, the scouring pad 1 which is to be attached to the holder is shown in phantom. The pad may be of any type; for purpose of illustration it may be visualized as being made of steel wool. Securing pads are marketed both, filled with soap and without soap and the invention is applicable to both types of pads.

The holder according to the invention comprises two elongated plate members 2 and 3 which are hingedly joined by a hinge connection. This hinge connection is shown as comprising ears 4 and 5 bent off from the plates at opposite side edges thhereof. As can best be seen in Fig. 3. these cars overlie each other and are each formed with an opening through which is passed a hinge pin 6. This pin is provided on one end with a head 7 and flattened on the other at 8 to secure the pin in position. The lower long edge of each plate is formed with a straight row of teeth 9 and 10 respectively. The teeth are well spaced one from another and according to Fig. I extend downwardly at an angle relative to the main portion of the plates. The teeth may or may not be so arranged that they can engage each other .in a comb like fashion. They are preferably rather narrow and long to facilitate penetration of the teeth into the material of the pad. 7

Plates 2 and 3 are each upwardly extended beyond the respective ears 4 and 5 to form finger pieces 11 and 12 respectively. Each finger piece is preferably bent oif at its side-edges to form flanges 11' and 12.

A coil spring 13 encompassing hinge pin 6 and abutting with its ends against the two plates serve to bias the two plates so that the teeth 9 and 10 thereon are pressed toward each other. Fig. 1 shows the position into which spring 13 tends to urge the two plates.

Ascan best be seen in Fig. 3, the middle part-0f finger pieces 11 and 12 is inwardly curved so that the two finger pieces face each other with a convex curvature. This has the advantage that the fingers of the'use-r, particularly when wet or soapy, tend to slide toward the middle of the finger pieces, thus avoiding the (accidental exertion of pressure on the finger piecescausing a spreading of the teeth and hence .a release of the holder. Further to protect the fingers of a user, a protective padding is provided on the holder. This padding is shown as comprising two fins 14 and 15 laterally extending from plates 2 and 3 respectively so as to form a. generally plate shaped member. The fins are preferably made of a soft material, for instance a spongy, water retaining material such as plastic or rubber. They may be secured to the plates by any suitable means such as cementing or by bent tabs extending from the plates into the fin material. The combined surface area of the fins is preferably somewhat smaller than the pad to facilitate full use of the pad material.

Plates 2 and 3 are preferably provided with transverse grooves 2' and 3 in which the fins 14 and 15 are inserted. These recesses strengthen the attachment of the fins to the plates and also assist in obtaining a clean and neat cement joint between the fins and the plates.

The holder according to Fig. 2 is similar to the holder described in connection with Figs. 1 and 3 to 5 with the exception that teeth 20 and 21 are provided which extend from the respective clamping plates at a right angle and are disposed substantially flush with the bottom side of the fins. This has the advantage there are no parts appreciably protruding from the holder thereby avoiding any danger of scratching a utensil by engagement of the teeth with the utensil when pad 1 has become frayed and thin.

The pad holders as hereinbefore described, may be used as follows:

Let it be assumed that it is intended to secure the holder of Fig. 1 to the pad. For this purpose, the user presses the two finger pieces 11 and 12 toward each other against the action of spring 13 thereby spreading the two rows of teeth 9 and 10. The spread teeth are smartly pressed against one of the surfaces of the pad so that they grip the pad material. By reason of the shallow angular position of the teeth, the same will deeply penetrate into the pad material. When new the pressure exerted upon the finger pieces is relaxed the plates return into or approximately into the position of Fig. 1. As a result, a sufficient portion of the pad material is held between the jaws formed by the plates and the teeth thereon to assure a reliable attachment of the holder to the pad. The fins rest upon the respective side of the pad thereby not only manner as the holder according to Fig. l. For purpose of attaching the holder to the pad the finger pieces are pressed into the positions 16 and 19 shown in dotted lines in which the teeth occupy the positions 17 and 18. When the finger pieces are now released, they are snapped by the spring action into the full line position. As a result, the teeth grip a certain quantity of the pad material which is bunchedbetween the plates as is indicated at 22 thereby securing the pad to the holder with the fins resting 'upon the upper side of the pad.

To release the holder, it is merely necessary to return the finger pieces into the dotted position. The holder can then be removed from the pad Without handling the latter.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certain now preferred examples and embodiments of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thhe invention,

and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A holder for a scouring pad comprising, in combination, a pair of substantially identical rigid jaw plates, I

each of said jaw plates having a centrally located and laterally outwardly extending ear at each longitudinal end,

said ears extending in the same general direction, a pin pivotallyconnecting said laterally outwardly extending ears of both of said jaw plates together, a straight row of teeth along one longitudinal edge of each of said jaw plates, a tension spring encircling said pin having one end in engagement with one of said plates and the opposite end in engagement with the other one of said plates, said spring normally biasing the teeth of said jaw plates toward each other, a finger piece extending along the opposite longitudinal edge of each of said jaw plates for manually urging said teeth along one edge of said plates apart against the action of said torsion spring, each said jaw plate intermediate said ears and said teeth defining a substantially straight sided longitudinal channel-shaped groove opening laterally outwardly in a direction opposite from said ears, and a resilient shield plate secured within each said groove.

2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the said teeth extend inwardly at an acute angle relative to the plates.

3. A holder for a scouring pad as set forth in claim 1 wherein said teeth extend substantially parallel to the plane of said respective shield plate.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,718,909 Ilange June 25, 1929 1,795 ,7 08 Cahill Mar. 10, 1931 1,895,496 Stephens Ian. 31, 1933 2,512,952 Mac Martin June 27, 1950 2,526,418 Rees Oct. 17, 1950 2,685,704 Haber Aug. 10, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 208,083 G ermany Mar. 18, 1909 616,104 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1949 

